Primarily based in Hangzhou, China, the mononymous RoninSu doesn’t have a bona fide workshop. However what he does have, is a wild creativeness, a handful of helpful expertise, and an timeless devotion to choppers.
These qualities have culminated on this nutty Honda Cub chopper. Constructed by RoninSu over six months, the stretched Honda underbone has extra chopper swagger than some bikes twice its dimension.
So far as RoninSu is worried, the important thing to constructing a radical chopper is getting the elements proper. “For my part, chopper constructing is an artwork of subtraction,” he explains, “however that doesn’t imply you don’t take into account each element and proportion. Every step of the method requires cautious consideration earlier than it may be executed.”
RoninSu might have began the venture with a humble Honda Cub, however little or no of the donor bike stays. For starters, the engine’s been swapped out for a 125 cc mill from the favored Chinese language bike producer, Zongshen.
Then there’s the obvious change—the Cub’s bespoke hardtail body. RoninSu tells us that he began with a inventory body, however he’s executed a lot reducing, stretching, and including, that it’s laborious to inform which bits stay.
The ensuing twin-beam chassis offers the Cub a 1.54-meter (five-foot) wheelbase, with the entrance forks measuring a whopping 94 cm (about 3 toes). It’s a neat design too, with the higher tube flowing seamlessly into the inflexible rear triangle. The Cub rolls on 18F/16R wheels, with a hand-crafted aluminum fork brace including some stiffness to the entrance finish.
CNC-machined yokes maintain the forks in place, whereas canine bone risers clamp custom-made handlebars greater up. The semi-automatic Zongshen engine doesn’t require a clutch lever, RoninSu has eliminated the entrance brake, and the Cub is devoid of flip alerts or a speedo. So all you’ll discover within the cockpit are a pair of chopper grips and a throttle.
Gear shifts are executed by way of a custom-made hand shifter, mounted down low on the left-hand facet of the bike. RoninSu has retained the unique footpegs, however he’s additionally mounted ‘freeway’ pegs additional ahead.
The bodywork consists of a modified six-liter (1.6-gallon) peanut tank and a sublime ducktail-style rear fender. Wedged between them is a traditional quilted seat, constructed on a hand-crafted fiberglass seat pan.
RoninSu saved the unique pressed metal part that lives underneath the Cub’s saddle, modifying it with new facet covers. It no longer solely hosts the battery however the ignition barrel too.
The Honda Cub’s solely lighting is a small headlight up entrance, with a chromed bucket and yellow lens, and a easy LED taillight. The previous is connected to the decrease yoke by way of a handmade mount. The latter is embedded within the bike’s {custom} sissy bar, which sports activities a coiled design impressed by security pins.
The sissy bar holds the license plate too, and is flanked by a perfectly-placed torpedo muffler.
The pint-sized chopper’s livery was designed by RoninSu and executed by his native paint store. It’s an all-burgundy affair, with sufficient flake within the combine to make the colour flip within the daylight. Intricate airbrush and silver leaf particulars on the tank add one other dose of quintessential chopper type.
The mere thought of a Honda Cub chopper is hardly typical, however RoninSu has by no means bothered with conference. “Virtually all worries and fears come from one’s personal creativeness,” he causes. “Solely once you actually do one thing, will you uncover how blissful it may make you.”
